Madagascar president warns of coup attempt amid escalating protests
Madagascar’s presidency has warned of an attempted coup as more soldiers joined youth-led protests that have shaken the country for over two weeks. The unrest, initially sparked by power outages and water shortages, now poses the most serious challenge to President Andry Rajoelina’s rule since his 2023 reelection.
Troops from the elite CAPSAT unit, which backed Rajoelina during his 2009 coup, urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and support the demonstrators. CAPSAT said it now controlled security operations nationwide and appointed General Demosthene Pikulas as army chief. A paramilitary gendarmerie unit also broke ranks, declaring it would protect citizens, not government interests, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
President Rajoelina’s office described the events as an “attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power”, urging dialogue to resolve the crisis. His exact whereabouts remain unknown, with speculation he may have left the country.
Inspired by Gen Z-led movements globally, demonstrators have demanded Rajoelina step down, apologize for violence, and dissolve the Senate and electoral commission. Thousands gathered along Independence Avenue, waving flags, chanting slogans, and honoring a CAPSAT soldier reportedly killed by gendarmerie forces.
Local residents decried widespread poverty, with average annual incomes around $600, spiraling food prices, and limited access to water and electricity. Protesters used imagery from popular culture, including One Piece symbols, to unify the youth movement.
The African Union has called for calm and restraint as the political crisis continues to unfold in the island nation of 30 million, where three-quarters of the population live in poverty.
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